If it’s safe to scan my metallic implant, why do you need to know about it?

When orthopedic hardware or other metallic implants are present in the MRI scanner, the magnetic field becomes locally inhomogeneous, or uneven. A significant artifact can result, depending on how magnetic the implant is.

The photos below demonstrate a brain exam with braces vs. without braces.

We can adjust our protocol to compensate for most of these artifacts if they are present in the area to be examined. This will create a much better image. Some metal causes very little artifact and the scans turn out perfect. In less common cases, it can be difficult to image at all.

If we are not looking at the body area that contains the metal, there will be no impact on the scan.

Contact us if you have any questions about your metallic implants so we can put your mind at rest.